>>20673018I find it more puzzling that Europeans apparently don't have layered walls, and this is why they think the interior wall is the same material as the exterior. Virtually all American homes have multi-layered walls where each layer is a different material. The interior wall is not exposed to the elements all it does is cover up the insulation and wood framing to hide wiring and plumbing. It doesn't need to be sturdy, in fact it's better if it isn't because it's easier to cut into for access to wiring and plumbing and can be cheaply and easily repaired.
The wooden frame of the house is the middle layer, and this is actual timber.
Then the exterior can be any of a variety of different materials, but they're all sturdy and weather proof. Wood, vinyl, stucco, metal, stone, etc are all used as external sidings, sometimes in combination with another layer of thin boards between the wooden frame and the siding. Vinyl is probably the most common one you see, because it's extremely cheap, low maintenance, can be installed yourself, has lifetime warranty, and is virtually waterproof out of the box. Personally I don't like the way vinyl siding looks, but I have to admit it's way more convenient for home maintenance than dealing with wood. Stone is just horrendously expensive to work with.
